wampum

[ wom-puhm, wawm- ]

noun

1. Also called peag, seawan,. cylindrical beads made from shells, pierced and strung, used by North American Indians as a medium of exchange, for ornaments, and for ceremonial and sometimes spiritual purposes, especially such beads when white but also including the more valuable black or dark-purple varieties.
2. Informal: Often Offensive. money.

wampum

/ ˈwɒmpəm /

noun

1. (formerly) money used by North American Indians, made of cylindrical shells strung or woven together, esp white shells rather than the more valuable black or purple ones
2. informal.
   money or wealth

wampum

1. Beads made from polished shells that some Native Americans once used as money and jewelry.

Sensitive Note

See firewater.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wampum¹

First recorded in 1630–40; short for wampumpeag

Word History and Origins

Origin of wampum¹

C17: short for wampumpeag, from Narraganset wampompeag, from wampan light + api string + -ag plural suffix

Example Sentences

Trina wears her wampum beads She fills her drawing book with line Sewing lace on widow’s weeds And filigree on leaf and vine.

From New York Times

The shells of the large, hard-shelled clam were used by the indigenous Narragansett people as wampum.

From Seattle Times

The Vatican insists the artifacts, including ceremonial masks, wampum belts and feathered headdresses, were gifts.

From Seattle Times

A pair of cases are devoted to items from the Nanticoke people, including a wampum belt and necklace featuring whelk and clam shells and a toy canoe crafted from pine needles and sinew.

From Washington Post

"The float's pathways symbolize the colors of the four directions, led by Grandmother Eastern Pine Tree, adorned by wampum shells of the water, & surrounded by sweetgrass, sassafras & wild berry plant relatives," according to Macy's.

From Salon

Related Words

• buck
• currency
• investment
• note
• payment
• refund
• reserve
• security
• stock
• supply